Admirers to march in Saturday parade in honor of dead Waterbury alderman

Alderman Gregory Hadley died last weekend, shortly after cancer diagnosis

BY MICHAEL PUFFER REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

WATERBURY – Friends and admirers of Gregory A. Hadley Sr., a city aldermen who died last week, will march in his honor during Saturday’s Gathering parade.

Since 2013, the Gathering has yearly brought together the city’s diverse cultures in a parade through the downtown, ending in a daylong festival at Library Park. The city’s many cultures are represented, often in colorful traditional clothing from foreign lands. Schools, clubs and civic organizations also field marching groups.

Hadley, 66, died unexpectedly last weekend shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. Supporters will honor his legacy marching in the parade with a message of combating violence, a problem that has taken prominence of late.

Just Wednesday, a young man was shot on Catherine Avenue and a young woman was shot on Ridgewood Street.

On Thursday night, a handful of volunteers gathered at the WOW/NRZ Community Learning Center, which had long been run by Hadley. They sorted and folded T-shirts emblazoned with the message “Silence the Violence.”

Community activist Warren Leach found the T-shirts in a closet, leftovers from an earlier effort. Leach said they’re a fitting message to compliment Hadley’s life’s work. Leach said he also hopes to bolster African-American participation in the festival.

“I want to show a renewed pride in our community in memory of someone who never gave up,” Leach said.

Tiffany Scott folded shirts at the WOW center Thursday as her 3-year-old son, Daniel, played nearby. She said she’s hoping to use the opportunity to push back against rising violence in the city.

“It’s getting worse and worse,” Scott said.

Sherry Fann, 59, and moved to the North End as a child and still lives in the same house. Sorting T-shirts Thursday, she recalled better times.

“Back in the day, we all went out to play and didn’t care if you were blue, black or green,” Fann said. “Now, a lot of people are afraid to come back to the neighborhood.”

Anyone interested in marching in Hadley’s honor Saturday can meet up with Leach and others in the Torrco parking lot, 100 North Elm St., at 10 a.m.